Saturday, 17 April 2010

The Sunday Roast

Johanna's blog was chosen as a Blog of Note on Friday, January 9, 2009, by the Blogger Team. I'm sure all will agree with me when I say, "Congratulations".

Johanna prefers to be called Jo and she lives in Vancouver, Canada, where the recent Winter Olympics were hosted - and very enjoyable too.

Thank you for the interview, Jo

A very warm welcome to you and your followers who I hope come in large numbers to see you roasting on my spit - ha ha!

Here's the first of the standard questions. Why do you blog?

I have always wanted to be a journalist or a columnist for a newspaper, so my blog is sort of a slice-of-life editorial on current events, politics, art, movies, philosophy, just about anything that is au current.

What's the story behind your blog name?

I once read a quote that I liked, as follows:

There are times and places where one's voice needs to be heard above the clamor of others who may think differently or wish to go in a different direction. The need to raise one's 'voice' is not a call to shout or to shout down others, but to preserve one's integrity of belief and feeling so that one can become a 'majority of one'.

That described how I wanted my blog to “sound” or “be heard” as it were. I changed my blog name to A Majority of Two, because two reflects the conversation that I hoped would be exchanged with at least one other person who might visit my blog.

What is the best thing about being a blogger?

Having the opportunity and the forum to write about my ideas, likes, dislikes, opinions, etc., and perhaps find people with which to converse about these things. We are all different, but occasionally we find people who are like us.

What key advice would you give to a newbie blogger?

Keep your own voice. Don’t imitate other blogs or bloggers. I see so many blogs that start to morph into each other, so that reading one is like reading another. And don’t be fooled by people who are giving away “awards”. The sole purpose is to drive traffic to their own blogs. Let your blog be organic and speak for itself, and it will find its own voice. You will never really know if you have a good blog if you get caught up in the “tricks” of blogging and getting comments. The number of comments you get is not a good indicator of whether or not you have a good blog.

(I agree with your entirely, Johanna - I've seen some super blogs with few comments and not so good ones with loads of comments)

What is the most significant blog post you've ever read?

That would be very difficult to pinpoint, since I have been blogging for four years, and there have been so many wonderful, significant blog posts. Many of them touch my heart for many reasons. I think one of the most significant posts I read was about a woman who had been estranged from her son, and then she found out that he had passed away. The way she wrote about the anguish she felt was worthy of a Pulitzer Prize, in my estimation.

(I wonder what that post was! Has anyone any ideas? We had a successful post hunt a couple of weeks ago and some really good detective work actually revealed it to us!)

(Again, I agree with you, Jo. I've visited Susan's blog and am very impressed with her superb writing style. I am looking forward to visiting Paula. You and I have 'spoken' at length about the wealth of undiscovered talent out there and the difficulties of them gaining a much wider audience - anyone got any ideas?)

That concludes the formal aspect of the interview but it would be nice to get to know you a little better while you are slowly turning on the roasting spit. So while you are screaming in agony above the open fire here are a few more questions for you.

Pick three things you can't live without (no you cannot have ice cubes to cool you down)

If we were to make a movie about blogland, what would it be and who would you cast in the leading roles?

If I were to do a movie about blogland, first of all I would search blogland for some brand new talented actors and actresses - they are out there in the wings, just waiting to be discovered. Some of the new blogs I come across are fresh, exciting – new! So, having found some new stars/starlets I would present a brand new movie about blogland. I would always welcome some new blood wherever possible.

If you could live your life again who would you be, and why?

Queen Elizabeth the Second because she has reigned through some of the most recent historical periods of time in our history, and she met some of the most amazing, influential people of the 20th and 21st Centuries. She is extremely intelligent and politically savvy, and much more accomplished than people realize. She also lives in palaces. *heh*

(Ok, Jo - you can be Elizabeth II and I will be a distant ancestor, Henry VIII because that too was an interesting time, albeit a bit bloodthirsty. Yet he was rather unhappy wasn't he? What am I saying? Six wives!!! I must be nuts! One is more than enough and I can't even behead her! LOL)

You have been given a wonderful talent from above. This causes you to make your mark on humanity and be world famous. In which area would prefer: a best selling novelist, a brilliant artist, a gifted musician, a fantastic singer, a charismatic leader, anything you choose, and why?

I would be a brilliant artist. I love art, I love the way it makes me feel when I look at it. Every artist has the power to invoke a different feeling; Picasso is different from Van Gogh, Rembrandt is different from Pollock. Each touches a different chord within us. I would love to have the power to do that.

If you were an ice cream cone, which flavour would you prefer and who would you most want to lick you?

I would like to be a peppermint candy ice cream cone, with bits of peppermint candy, and as to whom I would like to be licked by – well, I never “kiss and tell”. LOL.

(Now considering the silliness of the question I reckon that is about the most intelligent reply so far! LOL. I'll leave it in I think after all - thanks Jo)

Describe in one sentence your perfect day.

The sun is shining and my sailboat is waiting in the harbour.

If you were a fictional writer which one would you be and why?

John Steinbeck, because he wrote the best books, the best characters, and the best plot lines of any writer.

And finally if you have answered all these questions I invite you to ask me one in return - it's the least I can do. OK fire away!

How are you feeling now that you have become the bionic man?

My short answer would be, "Like six million dollars!" LOL

But people who know me know also I do find it difficult to give short answers because I am blessed (or cursed) with verbal diarrhoea! I am feeling very well but extremely disappointed that inflation has taken it's toll on the rebuilding programme since the 1970s. In short the rebuild I experienced was a joke - I got far less for the $6M spend than Steve Austin did and I am furious! I got only one bionic hip which is impossible to use to its full potential because they could not afford to do the other! Further, they would not provide my bionic legs or arms or even the nuclear reactor OR the x-ray eye. They simply said, "That's your lot, mate, you've had your six million dollars worth! Bye! Next!"

That was fun - thanks for appearing on the show, Jo.(I'm a poet, and I don't know it!)

And finally, a peep at your blog.

(Very Nice -love the artwork which I presume is yours)

________________________________________________

Today's Sunday Roast with Johanna is the 112th in a weeklyseries of interviews with bloggers from around the world. ________________________________________________

This interview will feature in The Roll of Honourfor all published Roasts. To view press HERE________________________________________________

Very good roast with some sage advice, especially about comments (I needed to read that this morning having just done a post that bombed!)

It's true, there are lots of good blogs out there that never get anywhere near the credit or attention they deserve. Will be having a good look at this one and the other two mentioned in the interview.

Great roast Eddie! So nice to meet Johanna! I have not had the pleasure as of yet; but I will soon rectify that by visiting her blog. I will also visit the ones she recommended as well.She had some excellent insight and advice. Thank you Johanna!!HugsSueAnn

I do think I need to add that while you keep up David's tradition of highlighting blogs and bloggers so does Hilary maintaining not the Posts of the Day but of the Week .. and I think both of you do an admirable job of filling the Den Mom's shoes ..

Blogging is fun and having you and Hilary point the rest of us to other blogs is also fun.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the Roast, and you could not have chosen a better blogger to interview. I found both the questions and answers here humorous, but serious. I try to read every one of Jo's posts and she really inspires me.

And Eddie, those were some great questions! Great thing you have going on here!

Oh, I have not met Jo...but she seems WONDERFUL!!! I loved this interview! What a warm, authentic and delightful lady she seems to be...and her blog looks amazingly beautiful! Can't wait to visit her!

And you, my friend, have done it again...delivered to us another fabulous meal...with your brilliant wit! You are an incredible host, and your interviewing style is so extremely personable! Gotta love it! Hugs and kudos to you, my friend :-) ~Janine

Eddie, this was wonderful and so much fun. Thank you! And thank you to Marguerite who put my name forward. I'm hidden off in a little corner of the blog world, and not too many people know me. So it is always fun to meet new people.

It's a beautiful sunny, spring day here in Vancouver, and I am off outdoors for a walk. Have a wonderful Sunday...! And I hope you are starting to feel chipper again.

Can You Cook, Eddie?

I get by and I am improving but will never feature on Master Chef. But there is a member in the family who has . . . . recently in November 2014

Eddie and Range Rover

Loved driving the 4x4 vehicles

Eddie, Ex-Ambulance Man

A number of newer followers have asked to see me in my uniform. Oh go on then! I must stress I do not wear it now - I am no longer in the service, regrettably

Dear God: I pray for a cure for cancer. Amen

For Maggie and Jenny plus countless millions throughout the world. Please keep the flame burning.
Alas too late for my dear wife Maria and brother-in-law Harry, and Jim but I know they ARE now cured in Heaven

My Favourite Music and Comedy

Click On Picture and Enjoy

Welcome To My Blog

Pull up a chair and share my posts. I try to produce both humorous and serious writings Please leave a comment so I can visit and admire your posts, but I am a little busy at work of late so this might take some time for which I apologise. A big thank you to Jinksy for this lantern so I can see where I am going in BlogLand LOL

Eddie Bluelights

About Me

Welcome to my Blog. I'm Eddie, a retired, eccentric ex-ambulance man, who loves making people laugh and happy. I have some great bloggy pals. I drive a bus for our local Dial-a-Ride service and really enjoy looking after passengers and brightening their day. I am a widower, and finding my feet after losing my dear wife of 40 years. Maria suffered breast cancer for 16 years and, sadly, I lost her in April 2013. I have a beautiful married daughter (32) and a wonderful son (22), soon to be married; he has a delightful baby son (11 months). Peter is a real cutie-Pie; he has big blue eyes and can melt any lady's heart - just like his Grandpa. Although retired I feel nothing like my age. Apart from a great new hip, all my original equipment is working very well, although I do have the odd creak now and then. I am writing up my ambulance and career experiences and offer a little poetry plus creative writing here and there, sometimes humorous, sometimes sad. I have donated 102 units of blood and encourage new donors in this life saving venture. I have a very keen sense of humour . . . and ladies, I'm quite a catch and will be snapped up quickly, so no delays, email me, pronto!

Andromeda Galaxy

How could this just evolve? There are 100 billion stars in it AND there are at least 100 billion galaxies in the universe! Surely someone made it! Sir Isaac Newton made a clever working model of the Solar System and a friend asked, "Who made that?" Isaac replied, "Oh! Nobody!" His friend said, "Oh come on somebody must have made it!", Isaac said, "I don't get it. You say someone must have made a little toy like that but when I ask 'who made the universe?' invariably the reply is 'nobody!'"